Recall of Nearly Nine Million Pounds of Beef Could Affect Florida

A California-based meat processor has issued a recall of nearly nine million pounds of beef products, and Florida is one of the states involved.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) website, Rancho Feeding Corporation, based in Petaluma, is recalling approximately 8,742,700 pounds of beef products from “diseased and unsound animals” that were distributed “without the benefit or full benefit of federal inspection.”

The USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service announced, “The products are adulterated, because they are unsound, unwholesome, or otherwise unfit for human food and must be removed from commerce.”

The recall is categorized as “Class I,” which indicates “a health hazard situation where there is a reasonable probability that the use of the product will cause serious, adverse health consequences or death.”

Products recalled include beef carcasses and boxes bearing the establishment number “EST. 527” inside the USDA mark of inspection, with boxes bearing a case code number ending in “3” or “4.” The products were produced January 1, 2013, through January 7, 2014, and shipped to distribution centers and retail establishments in California, Florida, Illinois, and Texas.

A Rancho Feeding Company spokesperson could not specify whether the company has any South Florida clients or whether the beef was supplied to any major restaurant chains or retailers. He did read from a company statement, saying, “Rancho Feeding Corporation is voluntarily recalling approximately 8,700,000 pounds of meat.” He added that there is an ongoing internal investigation into the matter and that the products “may have entered commerce.”

The following Rancho Feeding Corporation products were recalled:

• “Beef Carcasses” (wholesale and custom sales)
• 2 per box “Beef (Market) Heads” (retail only)
• 4-gallons per box “Beef Blood” (wholesale only)
• 20-lb. boxes of “Beef Oxtail”
• 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Cheeks”
• 30-lb. boxes of ” Beef Lips”
• 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Omasum”
• 30-lb. boxes of “Beef Tripas”
• 30-lb. boxes of “Mountain Oysters”
• 30-lb. boxes of “Sweet Breads”
• 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Liver”
• 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Tripe”
• 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Beef Tongue”
• 30- and 60-lb. boxes of “Veal Cuts”
• 40-lb. boxes of “Veal Bones”
• 50-lb. boxes of “Beef Feet”
• 50-lb. boxes of “Beef Hearts”
• 60-lb. boxes of “Veal Trim”

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